Primary school pupils across North East Lincolnshire are discovering how science can power up their future careers.
Through funding from the Government’s Regional Skills Pilot, the council is supporting activities to help young people explore science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by providing hands-on workshops and classroom kits.
Six workshops were delivered by Lab Rascals, an independent science outreach business founded in 2012 by a qualified chemist. The business works with schools and community groups across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to make science fun and accessible through practical activities.
Sessions included a LEGOTM Wind Energy workshop, giving year 5 and 6 students the chance to become engineers for the morning, as well as the chance to meet professionals from the industry.
Alongside the workshops, the council also provided 15 kits for use in local classrooms.
Katie Norman, who founded the business, spoke about the importance of these sessions for young people. She said: “Living so close to one of the UK’s major offshore wind hubs, young people in North East Lincolnshire have some fantastic career opportunities on their doorstep.
“At Lab Rascals, we want to show children that science and engineering aren’t just subjects they study at school. Through our workshops, they become engineers for the morning, building wind turbines and generating electricity to power their LEGO cars.
“Hopefully, we’re inspiring some of the next generation of scientists and engineers and showing children that these careers really are within their reach.”
Feedback from schools highlighted how the sessions helped children connect their learning with the world around them, with Healing Primary Academy commenting how “students were engaged in discussions about the local industry and the benefits it brings to the area”, and Reynolds Academy praising how it connected to local careers through practical and hands-on explanations.
The activities were part of wider work through the Regional Skills Pilot to raise awareness of energy careers and help people of all ages understand the opportunities available in North East Lincolnshire.
By introducing children to science, engineering and the local energy industry at an early age, the council aims to help them see how their school subjects could lead to exciting careers in the future.
Amy Rogers, Head of Skills at North East Lincolnshire Council, spoke about the importance of connecting with schools: “We know that it is incredibly important to engage young people as early as possible with real life examples of how science, technology and maths can translate into well paid careers. North East Lincolnshire has some fantastic opportunities, and we are really pleased the children had fun whilst learning about them.”
Find out more about Lab Rascals at https://www.labrascals.co.uk/.
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